, 1887-07-21
The Arrest OF an English FOrrs
at Kansas City.
History of Fine Case of Detec.
tive Work.
InfatuatiOn for a Woman Brings
Him to Justice.

CHICAGO, July 14.--Private informa-
ton was received here tonight that
to-day in Kansas City w. ii. Mark
ham, assistant postmaster OF the Brit
ish war vessel Espair, was arrested on u
charge of forging the name of his SUI
perior officer for amounts aggregating
about $4,000. The crimes were COM
mitted over year ago when the Es-
pair was cruising off the coast of
China. For some time past Markham,
under the name of Gaylor, has been
acting as agent at Kansas City for a
well known insurance company. He
has been constantly shadowed night
and day since June 18th until this
morning, detectives being unwilling to
arrest him until papers and other p re-
liminaries had been first arranged.
Though the culprit's whereabouts have
been known only since the 18th, de-
tectives have increasingly been tracing
him up step by step. Evidences of
the forgeries were discovered in the
spring of 1856. The story of the long
chase forms a marvellous record.
Markham left his ship ostensibly for
Yucatan, and all clue to him had been
lost before his misdeeds came to light,
and the case was formally handed over
to the Scotland Yards detectives in
London. Meantime Markham was in
Shanghai, where he was spending
money with prodigality worthy of an
East Indian rajah. 1t was in Shang-
hal that he fell in with an
Bland, who had just arrived from San
Francisco, travelling as Mrs. DeForest.
Upon her Markham lavished nearly
everything he had, and when soon
after he became aware that officers
were searching him out he had barely
enough funds to bring him to San
Francisco. SO nervous was he on the
way over that he attracted the atten-
ton of San Francisco officer, who
was on another errand. Had the San
Francisco officers been notified Mark
ham could easily have been arrested
there, as he was kept steadily in view
for several days, but no charges being
known against him he was allowed to
depart. Gussie Bland returned
to California on almost the
next steamer after Markham.
She went to Los Angeles, but when
the British officials had finally located
her they learned that no one answer
ing Markham's description had ever
been near her. Nevertheless her house
was watched month after month, until
by accident one day detective no
ticed the address of letter mailed to
one of the woman's intinates at II sa-
loon near by. The handwriting
seemed familiar and com parison with
a..photograph of the signature ON the
San Francisco hotel register showed
the writer to be Markham Close OBJ
servation established the fact that
Markham sent frequent letters at the
general delivery in some distant city.
Officers in disguise therefore,
inveigled themselves into Mrs.
DeForests graces, and one night,
when champagne loosed her
tongue, got her talking OF her myste-
rious correspondent. She ridiculed
him mercilessly as some Englishman
who had thrown away fortune on
her and was still as infatuated as ever,
incidentally dropping the fact that he
was then in Kansas City. Immediate
ly arrangements were made by the de-
te3tives whereby n clerk at at the post
Office window in Kansas City was to
drop pencil outside the coun-
ter us signal when Mark
kan asked for his mail. So
confused did the clerk become that
twice he failed and Markham escaped.
The third time detective was given
the signal. Markham was intensely
suspicious and had acquired the habit
of starting in an opposite direction
from that which he intended to go and
then suddenly turning and
taking the street cars going the
wrong way and jumping off to
take the one he wanted, all the time
watching to see if he was pursued. In
spite of these tactics he was shadowed
continually for month, until to-day,
when all was ready, the arrest was
made and tomorrow morning early he
will be started on the road to England
and long time OF penal servitude.
Tho Educators.
CHICAGO, July 14.-The board of Ii
rectors of the National Educational
Association this forenoon passed unan-